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Glite Dictionary
pillwort

pillwort

9.9
A small water fern that grows at pond edges and has tiny round parts that make new plants
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : pilularia
  • The pillwort thrives in damp, acidic environments.

Examples

  • We identified several rare plants during our survey, including pillwort and water violet.

  • Conservationists are working to restore areas where pillwort has declined due to habitat loss.

  • The shallow edges of the pond are an ideal habitat for pillwort.

  • Have you ever seen a pillwort in the wild?

  • The pond was surrounded by the delicate green of pillwort, adding to the beauty of the wetland.

  • We found pillwort growing along the muddy edge of the pond, thriving in the damp conditions.

  • In early spring, the small round sporocarps of pillwort can be seen emerging in the shallow water.

Synonyms

Pilularia globulifera
vspillwort
  • Specialized
9.9

A small water fern that grows at the edges of ponds and has tiny round parts that hold spores

is the common name for the same plant rather than the formal scientific label

Surface Forms

pillwort singular
pillworts plural

Morphology

pillwort = pill + wort (semi-transparent) = pill + wort

The components 'pill' (round object) and 'wort' (plant) together describe the plant, but 'wort' is archaic and may be unfamiliar to learners.

Etymology

The word pillwort is made of pill and wort, where pill refers to the plant's small round bodies and wort is an old English word for 'plant'. Its scientific name Pilularia comes from Latin pillula meaning 'small pill', so pillwort is a plant named for the tiny pill-like parts it makes at the edge of ponds.